T-splice



Feb. 9, 1960 D. A. BROWN 2,924,31 1

T-SPLICE Filed' April 2, 1957 ATTORNEYS United States Patent C T-SPLICE Donald Aubrey Brown, West Lake, Ohio, assignor to DonnProducts,Inc., a corporation of Ohio Application .April 2, r 1957, Serial No.V 650,252

3Claims. (Cl. 189436) This invention relates generallyto an assembly ofin terconnected structuallmembers, and more particularly toa rigid .Y and Iinearallyr, aligned coupling of structural members'having a generallyV T shaped cro'sssection.

Instructuralsystems of 'the type employed inthe building andrelated'construction fields, arigid interlocking grid-offcooperating T'V members is ,a convenient.

and.I desirableA arrangement; For example, suspended ceilings of., the type comprising. main T"s installed on predetermined centers andf supportedby wire hangers or the like,'a`nd cooperatingly interconnected by a pluralityof,cross Tsfalso installed'on,predetermined centers, servey asa convenient and serviceable system for supportingmodules. or panels suchlas acoustical units,y lighting fixtures, and like, ceiling elements.

VThe present linvention isdirected to a novel'coupling,

operating coupling elements including. a particularly formed tab yadapted 'to be received through the narrow slot,

of'a web and ib'entback in reversezparallel 'relation against the web, the various parts being particularly formed and ois'etto'rfacilitate tab insertion and bending in a manner which insures rigid coupling and linear alignment of the members.

-Further objectsvandiadvantages of thisinvention` will become'apparent'as the following description proceeds, and the features of,Y novelty whichcharacterize this invention will be pointed out with'partcularity in the claims annexed to and forming partofthis specification.

Apreferredxembodiment of'the invention is shown .in the. accompanying drawing, in which:

Figurelis 'aperspectiveview showing a pair of main T runners'embodying the'features. of the present invention and disposed in j end-toeerid n interconnection;

Figure 2 is another perspective'view viewing the coupled members, of FigureA l .from the opposite side;

Figure 3^is af verticalfcrosssectionalview taken substantially as indicated by-the line 3`3 -on Figure 2;

FigureL 4l is., av horizontal cross-sectional view; taken substantially asfindicatedbyl theline jon Figure 2;

Pignre: 5 isa perspective viewshowing the coupling endsfrofv the membersin separated relation priori to in-l fetcpnnectedassembly; and.

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4, illustrating the manner in which a tool may be employed to eect rigid coupling of the members.

Referring now to the drawing, I have designated generally at 10 and 12 a pair of structural members or main T runners of the type adapted to be coupled in end-toend relation for the construction of a rigid interlocking grid assembly. Each of the main T runners are of sublCe stantiallyv identical form, and are ,particularly constructed, to provide a male "coupling means lat one end and a, female coupling means at the other end. As illustrated, th'ecooperative relation between the male coupling por-V tion of.runnerf10`and'the female coupling portion ofl Identical structural features v runner 12 will be described. of each ofthe runners willlb'e designated `by thesame. numberals with a prime added asrapplied to runner 12.

The runner 10 is preferablyrof'the type formed from a single sheet of metal particularly folded and shaped to dene an upstanding central web` 14 terminating in, a topY rib 16 and a horizontal bottom ilange18. The topf# rib 16V lendsrigidity and reinforcement strength to the runner.v The horizontal bottom flange 18 extends traris.Y verselyat each 'side of the web 14and generally at right anglesjto. the plane thereof for supporting, modular units.. such as panels or the like. In this way, the cross sectional shape of the runner assumes the form ,of a T; A vertical.-

sl'ot320may beprovided intermediate the length of the runner for reception of crossTjmembers in arigid and,v

interlocking T joint. Sucha-T joint'is disclosed in myVl copending'applicationSerial No. 629,599, filed December 20,v 1956. Anaperture 22 may be provided for and support of yhanger wire elements and the ,likei The-improvement features of the present invention relate to the coupling elements foreifecting a splice or interconnectionl of 'therunners 10 and 12. The male coupling relements are provided byv a connector ange 2,4'; which-extends forwardlyof the main'web14vr andisof substantially shorter vertical height than the distance topv ribl 16: `andbottom flange 18: "A lateral'olfsetr2'6, yslibstantially equal in thickness to the sheetlmet'al forming* thaweb 14, serves to position the-flange -24 inlaterally displaced parallel relation to the plane ofthe web 14. Theforward'terminal-end of the connector -tlange24 isformed lwith a'pair of coupling prongs or tabs 28 and 30;

whichare spaced one above the other and disposed at righ't'angles to the planes ofthe web 14 and ange 24.

The female coupling end of the runner 12 is-formed' with a pair of vertical'coupling slots 32 and'34. The', coupling slots-32 and 34 are of relatively narrow width,

slightly greater than-the thickness of the sheet metal forming. the web' 14', and are. slightly greater'in vertical" height than the corresponding height of the coupling` tabs 28land-30f. The slots 3:2 and 34 are disposed inv selected positions -ofvvertical' alignment in the web 14l of runner 12 correspondingto the positions of the coupling tabs 28 and`30 relative to the web 14 -of-runner 10. 'In' this V--way, insertion of the tabs into the slots will serve toorient the T-shape yends ofthe runners 10 and 12 in vertical alignment.

The portionsof` the Aweb 14' rearwardlyof the slots- 32.and34 .are outwardly Yembossed at the sidey opposite to that adapted for receptive entry of -the tabs 28 andlall':`

These'. embossments provide generally wedge shaped guides 436 and38 which elect'a substantial enlargement oftheV transverse width of the coupling slots 32and 34.3

Aalongitudinal reinforcement rib 40is embossed inthe web 1 4. between the guides-36 andf38'to insure structural'rigidity oflthe female coupling end ofthe runner12.

Inpractical use, a first-main T runner-willbefiixedly:

mounted in gerenally horizontallysextending relation from a side wall or` similar` lixedmounting means. In'orderf tospan axsubstantial Lextentof `area away fromthe Xedfpoint: of: mounting, additional main' T- runners mu'stI be? Patented Feb.A 9..,

passage',

end transverselyfthrough the coupling slots 32 and 34 of the female coupling end of the first main vT runner.

right angles therefrom,

As indicated in Figure 4 of the ldrawing by dotted line,` A

the tabs will extendV through the slots at right angles to the planes of the respective webs 14` and 14 "of the two" runners and 12. Because of the lateral offset 26, complete end-to-end mating of the two runners Amay ,beV

effected, with their respective webs lying in aisingle ve`r-` tical plane and their respective bottom anges lying in a single horizontal plane, thereby enabling accurate linear,V

alignmentof the two runners.l

said connector flange having a bendable tab extending'at said female coupling means `u1- t cluding a narrow slot in parallel orientation with said coupling tab, and said webhving a wedge shaped embossment of progressively increasing lateral depth toward said coupling slot for effecting lateral enlargement thereof, whereby upon insertion and longitudinal bending of the coupling tab of the maleend of one of said members through the coupling slotof'the female end of an- `In order to complete rigidly coupling assembly of the aligned andabutting main T runners 10 and 12, `it is` merely` necessary to bend the tab 2S and 30 back against the web 14" into generally parallel alignment with planes of the connector ange 24 and the aligned runner webs.

The tabs have been shown bent back to complete a rigid assembly of the main T runners in Figures 24 of the drawing. This bending of the tabs may be readily and simply effected by the use of a small screw driver or theY otherof said members continuous longitudinal alignment of the central webs and'bottom llangesthereof is effected.

2. A structural member adaptedy to be coupled together withanotherjidentical memberjn end-to-end longitudinal aligumentsaidmember having 1.an upstanding central web of single integral thickness terminating in a horizontal bottom ange and defining a generally `T-shape cross section, said member having male coupling means 4 at its one end `and female coupling meansat its` other like. The screw driver may simply be inserted `inthe bent back against the web 14' or runner 12 as the screwA driver is driven forwardly toward the web 14 of runner` 1n Figure 6V of the drawing I have indicated at T a screw driver effecting backward bending of the tab 28 to complete coupling assembly of the runners in the 4manner described. As show in solid lines, the screw driver may be arcuately swung or otherwise manipulated so as to insure complete bending of the tab 28 against the web 14. Alternatively, and as indicatedby a dotted line showing in Figure 6, the screw driver may simply be aligned flat against the guide 38 and driven sharply forwardly, as by striking with a hammer; In this way the tabs may be readily bent to complete automatically an accurately aligned coupling interconnection of the runners 10 and 12 in mating end-to-end abutment, Without any need for visual alignment of the runners and with a minimum ofmanipulation by the assembler.

v While there has been shown andldescribed a particular embodiment of this invention, it willbe obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications` as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A structural member` adapted to be coupled together with another identical member in end-to-end longitudinal alignment, said member having an upstanding central web of single integral thickness terminating in a horizontal bottom ange and defining a generally T- shape cross section, said member having male coupling means at its one end and female coupling means at its other end, said male coupling means including a connector llange projecting forwardly of the web and laterally offset in a plane parallel to the plane of said web a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said web,

end, said male'coupling means includinga reducedheight connector flange projecting forwardly of the web' and` laterally olfset in a plane parallel tothe plane `of",H said web a distance substantially equal to` the thickness of said web, said connector flange `having a' pair of vertically spaced bendable tabs extending at right `angles therefrom,'said `female coupling means including a pair` of narrow slots in parallel orientation with saidV cou.`"

pling tabs, and said web having a` pair of wedge shaped t t embossments of` progressively increasing lateral depth toward each offsaid coupling slots for effecting lateral enlargements thereof, whereby upon insertion and longitudinal bending of the coupling tabs of the maleend of one of said members through the coupling slots of the female end of another of said members continuous longitudinal alignment of the central webs and bottom flanges thereof is effected. i

3. A pair of structurallmembers coupled together in end-to-end longitudinal alignment, each ofV said membershaving an upstanding `central web of `single integral, thickness terminatingin a horizontal bottom'flange and defining a generally T-shape cross section, oneof said members having male coupling means at one end thereof and the other of said members` havingfemale`coupling means at one end thereof, said male couplingV means` inf cluding a connector flange projecting `forwardly of ,thej web and laterally odset in a plane parallel to the plane of said web a distance substantiallyequal to the thickness of said web, said connector flangeV having 'a bendablea tab initially extending integrally at right angles therefrom,

said female couplingmeans 4including a narrow slot'in parallel orientation withsaidpcoupling tab and receiving` said tab therethrough when saidmembers are in mated end-to-end abutment, the web of said other of said members having a wedge shaped embossmentof progressively i increasing lateral depth toward saidcouplingslot for ef-` fecting lateral enlargement thereof, and said tab being bent back substantially parallel to and against the said web forwardly of said embossment, whereby continuous v longitudinal alignment of the central webs and bottom -anges of said coupled members is eeeted.

Reference'sCited` in the le of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Kruger -.r..-- Febr 7," 19,56,- 

